Breathe into me
by Marie Blubert
Summary: After a long time, Sakura must return to Konoha for they need her more than ever. She has enough problems of her own, can she handle theirs too? In these dark times one must search for inner strength. Will the pink haired medic nin be able to find that within herself? Perhaps behind appearances lies a chance for a new beginning. Will Sasuke help her or will he bring her down?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own** Naruto** or **In the end **by Linkin Park

**A/N:** This is a multichapter sequel to **I should go** which is a sequel to **White flag.**

Song:** In the end **by Linkin Park

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><p><strong>.<strong>

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**Breathe into me**

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_**Chapter one: In the end**_

_**I tried so hard**__**  
>And got so far<strong>__**  
>But in the end<strong>__**  
>It doesn't even matter<strong>__**  
>I had to fall<strong>__**  
>To lose it all<strong>__**  
>But in the end<strong>__**  
>It doesn't even matter<strong>_

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Three Konoha chunin were sitting in a cozy teashop eating lunch. They stopped in Sakazaki, a border town of Fire Country as they were heading back to Konoha. They weren't really in a hurry as the mission they had was a failure, so they decided to take a break.

Kyo, Shin and Nori stared at the nameless people coming in and out of the small shelter. Outside, the snow was simply flowing and they were beginning to think that they should look for an Inn because with their luck, a blizzard was sure to come along.

"Well I'd be damned… Isn't that Haruno Sakura?" Kyo, the leader of the team whistled as he saw a beautiful pink haired woman walk in the shop.

Sakura was wearing a simple, black cape coat that reached her mid tights. Her slender, but muscular legs were dresses in a pair of simple black pants, lacking the kunai holster that kunoichi usually had strapped on their leg. Her black boots were covered in snow, which signaled that she had been walking for a while.

"Didn't you study with her, Nori?" Kyo asked the medic-nin of their team, without taking his eyes off the infamous woman.

"Yeah, I did. She's a legend."

"Nori, why don't you call her over?" Hyo said with a sly smirk on his face.

"W-Well, I-"

"She's the Godaime's apprentice and the future Rokudaime's best friend. Not to mention she's tight with Uchiha. What makes you think she'll want to talk to the likes of Nori?" Shin, the third member of their team, cruelly asked.

"I don't think she would want to talk to Nori, I, however, am a totally different story."

"She was a respected jounin and head of the hospital before she disappeared. You barely passed your chunin exam. And she's two years younger than you."

"Shut you trap, Shin. Nori, call her!"

Said boy did as he was instructed and called her by the usual 'Sakura-sama'.

The woman was deciding which food to order from the menu when she heard someone shouting her name, with the suffix "-sama" no less.

Turning around she spotted a familiar man, a face she knew from long ago, but couldn't quite place. Then she saw their forehead protectors and decided that they must know her from when she was still a kunoichi. For her it seemed that Konoha was just a dream, or another life. It was somehow there, but not really.

It was in the past.

She didn't really want to acknowledge them. It may seemed arrogant that she would think so, but really, she was a woman with self respect and was used to people coming to her when they had something to say. Not to mention that she was probably a much better shinobi then they were and had no reason to feed their male pride by running to them like a lost puppy.

Though that was not the main reason why she wished to avoid them. No, the main reason was that she had had enough of ninjas for a lifetime.

But then again, maybe they just wanted to say 'Hello' and she couldn't really blame them for that.

She slowly made her way toward them, not only because she was polite, but also because she wanted to ask them to keep her whereabouts a secret.

"Hello! It's nice seeing Konoha Shinobi again."

"Sakura-sama! I am Nori. I was your student for that three months class you held. These are my teammates, Kyo and Shin."

Sakura had indeed held a class that lasted for three months after the war in order to help medical ninjas become better at their job. At the end of those three months, Sakura could say that she felt better about herself. She taught them a lot of tricks that would one day come in handy. Even though three months was nowhere near enough to learn, at least she gave them a place to start.

Nori had been a good student but without hard work, his talent would be lost. She told him that then, but wasn't sure if he heeded her advice.

"Ah, yes, Nori-san. It's nice to see you. And it's a pleasure, Kyo-san and Shin-san."

While Shin had answered respectfully, Kyo had taken her hand and kissed it like it were some fragile jewel. Maybe she should have been flattered by his gesture, but seeing as they were all ninja, she preferred a strong handshake to such frivolous things.

To tell the truth, Sakura was used to be treated like a lady, since she worked as a doctor in Sakazaki, but whenever she meet shinobi, she made sure to not betray any weakness. She didn't have a reputation for nothing. She worked hard for it and was to be treated with respect.

But she let it slide, simply because she would need to be nice in order to convince the three to keep silent about Sakazaki.

"So what are you doing in Sakazaki? I doubt you have a mission in such a peaceful town."

"Oh, no. We're just passing by. Our mission was to infiltrate in a fortress in Sound." The one known as Kyo said with a smug smirk, as if it were such a difficult thing to do.

"I take it your mission is a success?"

"Ah, we're getting there."

The leader said, thinking of a way to change the subject. The mission was not a success. They had been discovered and had barely managed to get away in time. Had they not been so fast to run, they would be dead, as they couldn't fight the army of ninjas that resided in the fortress.

"So what brings you here, Sakura-san?"

"I am laying low for awhile."

"Really? Because you have been doing so for quite some time. We haven't heard of you in ages."

"Actually, it's classified information that only the Godaime and I know, so I would appreciate your discretion. I'm sure you know what that means, with you being such reliable shinobi of Konoha and all. Also, Tsunade-shisou would be very mad if anyone were to find out."

It didn't hurt to lie a bit, just to make sure they didn't spill.

"I heard that the last person who saw me here is still doing D-rank missions."

Sakura added hiding her smirk as she saw a flash of horror pass through their eyes. At least she wasn't the only one who had unpleasant memories from her genin period.

"Of course, Sakura-san. Our lips are sealed."

"I'm glad you are sensible men. Now, if you would please excuse me, I have some errands to run." Sakura said as she paid for the takeaway food the waiter had just brought her.

"Why don't you eat with us?" Kyo insisted.

"I would, but I am short on time."

"That's a pity. Especially since we are looking for an Inn and we thought you could recommend something for us."

The young woman looked at them and thought that it wouldn't hurt to lead them to a nearby Inn on her way home. They were, after all, citizens of Konoha.

"I'm afraid I don't have time, but if you wish to come with me, I can show you the best Inn you can find in Sakazaki"

"We'd be forever indebted to you."

The four walked out of the teashop, leaving the warm atmosphere that reigned there, only to be welcomed by a raging snowstorm. The blizzard was insane and most people had already taken shelter somewhere.

They, however, were shinobi and a little snow wouldn't bother them.

Or so Sakura thought, because the minute they stepped outside, Kyo started complaining about the weather and how they should have remained inside but didn't all because Sakura had been too stubborn.

This got on her nerves, but she didn't get a chance to tell him to fuck off as she was interrupted by a kunai that she barely dodged. She had let her guard down and almost paid the price for it.

Before anyone realized what was happening, Sakura silently picked out the kunai and swiftly landed a hit on the amateur shinobi who thought he could best her.

Sakura wanted to interrogate him, but Kyo already knew what was happening.

"The sound-nin! They found us!" He said in a panicked voice.

"What are you talking about?"

"We were discovered back at the base and we had to flee since there was an army of them and only three of us. We thought we lost them, but we were wrong." Shin explained, as Kyo was too frightened to utter a word.

The woman understood exactly what had happened. The idiots failed the mission and on top of that led the enemy exactly to Sakazaki and to her. If they were to capture her, Orochimaru would be over the top. Sure, he said something about him being a changed man after the war and not holding a grudge against Konoha anymore, but she didn't believe a word of it. Though that wasn't such an important matter.

"We need lead them away from here. People will die if we don't."

"No, it's too dangerous! We need to run!" Kyo found it in him to respond.

"Then we at least need to evacuate the town."

"No, we need to flee."

"Coward! Don't you see that you can't run? And even if you could, what about all these people you endangered just because you were reckless?"

"I don't care about these civilians! Nori, Shin, let's go!"

"Goodbye, Sakura-sama!" Nori said, wile Shin nodded his head, both of them disappearing after their leader and leaving Sakura alone in the middle of the road.

She couldn't believe they would just run like that after creating such a mess. They were Konoha shinobi and whatever things she held against them, she would never thought she would see a ninja run for his life, leaving innocents who couldn't defend themselves to die.

As if on cue, screams and panicked cries of help rippled through the town and Sakura wished she could use Naruto's jutsu and make a hundred clones. Unfortunately, she didn't have the Kyubi's chakra, but what she did have was perfect chakra control and so she made a total of fifteen clones.

It was the best she could do. After the huge wave of chakra that swept through her, she lost her balance, being caught by a clone.

"I'm fine. Evacuate everyone!"

The other Sakuras nodded and went to work while the original was left to deal with all the attention her jutsu has attracted.

She was surrounded by five bloodthirsty sound nin.

The fight was gruesome.

Sakura could barely breathe. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. She wasn't supposed to fight again. Never again. It was all just another nightmare. She was trembling with fear, getting closer to death as each second passed. She had minor cuts covering her arms and the hot blood flowing on her ice cold skin made her helpless.

They attacked and she dodged. Even though she was pretty good at avoiding hits, she sustained a little damaged.

The kunoichi knew that she couldn't keep that up for much longer. With every kick and with every punch dodged, she knew she was to be defeated if she didn't act quick.

Taking in a deep breathe, she reminded herself that she was Haruno Sakura and that name held weight in the shinobi world for a reason. Maybe she wasn't of Naruto and Sasuke's caliber, but she certainly wasn't like that coward, Kyo. She would stay and fight for the people who welcomed her in their town, in their homes, simply because they needed her.

Haruno Sakura would never go down without a fight.

As fast as she could, she punched the ground to distract their attention. She needed to use ninjutsu in order to emerge victorious from the fight. It was a good thing she was a water type because there was snow all around, which gave her a huge advantage.

While they were all searching for her chakra, which they would never find because she managed to hide it very well, Sakura made the hand seals for a complex jutsu, which she developed in the years she spent away from Konoha, being inspired by Haku's technique. She never quite managed to forget the boy and his loyalty to Zabuza.

He was not so different from the Sakura who used to live in Konoha. She too had been ready to give her life up for Sasuke, a person who would never think of returning the favor.

But this new Sakura, the one she so carefully worked on, would never do such foolish things again. She would never love the way she did before, though she was still capable of sacrifice. She would help the people of Sakazaki even if it were the last thing she did.

She had grown but she was still human, maybe even more so.

With that thought in mind, the female ninja pushed her palms forward in one swift motion, gesturing toward the enemies. Four of them were caught by the deadly ice. They were dead in an instant. Their heart was instantly transformed into a piece of ice and blood just froze in their veins.

Talk about frozen hearts.

The jutsu was fatal for those who weren't fast enough to escape, which most shinobi weren't.

Some would say that the technique was heartless, but Sakura wouldn't really agree. There were more gruesome ways to kill a person, like the flames of Susanoo. At least her method was painless. They wouldn't even know what hit them.

But Sakura's problems were far from over. She needed some time to recuperate from the extensive use of chakra and she still had one enemy to deal with. A very fast one at that.

He didn't leave her time to catch her breath as he kicked her in her side, cracking a few ribs.

She cursed her luck. She had trained and developed herself, of course, but she wasn't ready for something like this. She couldn't defend a whole town on her own.

She started running to put some distance between herself and the enemy to buy some time in order to come up with a strategy. As she was running, she felt something akin to pain come to her, like a ghost, like distant memory. One wave to her head and the other to her heart.

Two of her clones were taken out. That was just great. At least Sakura found out that people started to move. They were running as fast as they could as far away from Sakazaki as possible.

She just had to buy them more time.

Maybe it was time to cause a ruckus and distract the ninja's attention from the civilians. With that thought in mind, Sakura gathered chakra to her forehead and broke the seal.

Suddenly she felt a strong wave of energy flow through her. She felt invincible.

A number of new techniques she had developed while in Sakazaki came to mind, but it was nothing like brute force that caught one's eye.

Drawing in a deep breath of fresh, ice cold air, Sakura started attacking mercilessly for the first time since the war.

The sound shinobi, no matter how fast, were no match for her, once the buildings also came tumbling down from all sides. The snow and dust covered his vision. The only reason Sakura escaped the scene was because she used Kakashi's teleporting technique.

As expected, more enemy ninja came but Sakura was already on rampage.

She didn't know what she was doing anymore. She didn't care who she was hurting. She just saw blood everywhere and it was war all over again. Only this time, she was alone. That didn't matter, though. She would win because she was thirsty. She was thirsty for revenge, for victory and for blood.

The once peaceful maiden who placed bandages on scrapped knees and helped young woman give birth to bundles of joy was no more. In her place stood a monster. One who would not stop until all foes were defeated.

It was no surprise when the shinobi started running from the scene. They weren't really strong. All their force stood in numbers. And their numbers were running very low, very fast.

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Crushed ice, beaten snow and ruins of the buildings surrounded Sakura as well as many lifeless bodies. Sweat was dripping off her and plastered her pink hair, now free from the once neat ponytail, to her bare neck and shoulders. Her cloak has been discarded sometime during the fight and her shirt was ripped so that her toned abdomen was exposed. Dry blood colored her messy hair in red.

Her clones had been taken out one by one but they had been sufficient to distract the enemy and kill off some of them as the inhabitants of Sakazaki escaped.

The last of her clones disappeared just as Sakura's breathing evened, but something was wrong. She was trying to save an old lady, Kumo and her granddaughter, Yuki from two shinobi who wanted to rob them.

Sakura ran with full speed, hoping she could get there before the defenseless woman and the child were killed. Kumo was the only one who knew of Sakura's past as a ninja because the medic had used her chakra to relieve the pain of her dying husband. Yuki came to visit just a week prior. She was the sweetest little girl. She had light, green eyes and jet black hair and aristocratic features. Like a goddess in miniature. If not for the color of her eyes and her cheerful, sweet personality, Sakura could swear she was Sasuke's kid.

As the man was preparing to finish Kumo off, Sakura took a kunai and slashed his throat with such force that the almost separated his head from his body.

The other ninja was bleeding profusely from her clone's attack and Sakura finished him off with a fast ninjustsu that stopped his heart.

"Sakura…"

"Kumo-san, hold on! I will heal you."

"T-take Yuki to her parents…i-in Tomori."

"Don't talk, Kumo-san."

"Sakura…It's no use…"

"No!"

"Yuki, dear…"

The brunette little girl who was no older than five neared the bed, even though she was scared as hell of Sakura.

"Go with Sakura."

"H-hai…"

"Be a good girl for your mother, will you?"

"Hai…" Yuki said as her eyes welled up in tears and her lower lip started trembling fast.

The old woman gave her last breath and Sakura could feel her just slipping through her bloodstained fingers.

She wanted to scream and cry but found that she couldn't. She was feeling as if everything became clear. In the deafening silence, she could finally hear her thoughts.

Tomori was not very far away. If she traveled at full speed, she could get Yuki there in two hour tops. The girl was terrified and she needed her parents. Sakura knew what she had to do as she slowly neared the girl, careful not to make any sudden moves, not wanting to scare her more than she already was.

"Yuki…We have to go to your parents… It's not safe here, ok?"

The girl was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Your grandmother, Kumo-san, wanted that. You promised her."

"O-ok."

"I'll take you into my arms and we'll run really fast. Don't be scared, ok? We'll get you to your mom really soon."

The child nodded through tears and Sakura felt her heart clench in her chest from seeing her so defeated. Where was the little person who was always laughing and picking up flowers, making bouquets for her grandmother's friends like Ino and her had once upon a time done? Would she ever be the same after all this?

Those were the thoughts that were running through Sakura's mind as she was running through the woods like the wind.

She had to use chakra to keep her balance as the weather was merciless, and even though Sakura felt like her muscles were being ripped away from her bones, the trembling girl in her arms reminded her that she could not stop, nor was she allowed to slow down.

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It was midnight when Sakura returned to Sakazaki. She had gotten in Tomori very fast and took the girl to her mother. The woman had been devastated, yet extremely grateful to Sakura that she had brought her child back. Sakura only stood there half an hour to make sure the girl was safe and then left accepting only an old large coat from the woman.

Walking through the ruins, Sakura scanned the area for any signs of life, yet she found none. It was as if she was waking through a ghost town.

Or like she was walking through Konoha right after Pain's attack. Then she had cried and called out for Naruto. Now, she looked around terrified, knowing that most of the destruction was her fault. She collapsed in the middle of the road laying on her back with her hands by her side as if she was falling into an endless abyss and a single, lone tear dripped off her check.

She knew she had internal bleeding. Her body had already started healing on her own and chakra warmed her so that she wouldn't die from hypothermia. It was a wonder she still had some chakra left, though. Maybe she didn't really deserve it.

As Sakura lay in the fresh, soft snow, she figured that it was unfair. Innocent people had died while monsters like her and some of the attackers that managed to escape, were alive. They were living to see another day, to cause more pain.

Earlier that day her fury got the best of her. She went on rampage and didn't think about anything. Her PTSD wasn't an excuse for what she had done. Nothing could justify her actions.

In the end, when the only thing that was left ragging was the blizzard, Sakura couldn't chase away the thought that had been eating her heart ever since she came to her senses.

Out of all the dead civilians, how many were killed by the Sound-nin and how many by her own bloody hands?

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><p><strong>AN:** Et voila!

The sequel to **I should go** which is a sequel to **White flag**.

Kinda complicated, I know, but at least this is a multichapter, so probably no more sequels.

I want to ask a couple of things.

First, how were the fighting scenes? I'm more into writing about emotions so I'm not quite sure. I would appreciate your opinion.

And second, what do you think about the songs? No one said anything about them.

Please review!

**Marie Blubert**


	2. Chapter 2: So cold

Disclaimer: I don't own **Naruto** or **So Cold** by Ben Clocks.

Song: **So cold** by Ben Clocks

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**Breathe into me**

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_**Chapter two: So cold**_

_**You caused my heart to bleed and**__**  
><strong>__**You still owe me a reason**__**  
><strong>__**I can't figure out why...**__**  
><strong>__**Why I'm alone and freezing**_

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Tsunade was slumped in a chair, trying to catch her breath. She was panting from the last healing session. In the same room, on a hospital bed, lay an ill Shizune.

It was a miracle that the brown haired woman was still breathing. The disease that ate up most of Konoha's most prized shinobi got to Shizune while she had been healing them. Tsunade was doing her best to keep the woman alive, but she knew she couldn't hold this up much longer.

Shizune needed to be cured and then they would need to work together to find an antidote for the illness once and for all.

But how could she heal Shizune? It was a very tricky thing.

The disease was slowly but surely eating the vital organs. They were still working on a cure, something that would make the immune system work in a similar way as regenerating chakra.

In absence of this miracle medicamentation, the only method was regenerating chakra, which most medics could use only to heal the first stages…

In order to heal a person in such an advanced stage, one would need two med-nin with perfect chakra control. She and Shizune had managed to save some of the ninja before, but now…

The fifth Hokage couldn't believe what she was forced to do. She had no choice but to get Sakura Haruno back in Konoha in order to help Shizune. Then the three of them could stop the disaster.

Tsunade had promised not to bother Sakura. She herself had left Konoha in a rush in her youth. Truth be told, she had no right to ask anything of Sakura, but she only hoped that the pink haired woman still cared enough about Shizune and Konoha in order to return for a couple of weeks.

She sighed and started walking in the direction of her office, knowing that she had to handle things with utmost care because her apprentice might not want to return in fear of not worsening her own condition by seeing the people who hurt her once…

She didn't like the way her ex-teammates had treated Sakura. They never saw her for who she truly was.

But they were the ones she would send after her, simply because everyone else was already on a mission.

The Hokage remembered, however, that she still had one ninja in Konoha who would make things easier for the pinkette.

And so, she called her top tactician, Nara Shikamaru.

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Squad fifteen was dashing through the woods in order to reach the Leaf village.

Hatake Kakashi was running side by side with the medic-nin, Niko, while Naruto Uzumai and Sasuke Uchiha were following close behind.

They had to travel three more hours so they decided to make a short break.

"Let's stop here. Niko must be tired and we could all use a break."

"Thanks, Kakashi." The woman smiled a beautiful, wide smile.

Niko was Sakura's repalecement and she was nothing like the pink haired girl. She was a real beauty, brunette hair and dark, matching orbs that would rival Sasuke's. Her complexion was fair and she wore the standard jounin outfit.

Truth be said, Niko wasn't a fighter. She never engaged in battle and her only role was to heal the other members of Squad fifteen. The boys seemed to treat her as if she could break at any moment and she was fine with that.

"That was one hell of a mission, wasn't it?"

Uzumaki Naruto exclaimed happily while sitting against a tree trunk.

"You say that because you have been stuck in that office for the last three months." Dryly replied the Uchiha.

"Hey! I'm gonna be Hokage. It's worth it!"

"Whatever."

"Guys, stop arguing already."

The female shut them up, letting her gaze linger on the sole Uchiha survivor. This last action did not pass unobserved by any of the male members.

Kakashi and Naruto knew Niko had a thing for Sasuke and they both thought that the two would make a good pair. The Uchiha was more talkative with Niko than with any other woman in Konoha, but he had yet to make a move.

"Do you think they solved the problem with the disease?" asked Naruto trying to make conversation.

"Last I heard, more ninja came in the hospital infected with it. There are not a lot of medics who can cure it. It takes perfect chakra control and if it's in an advanced state, not even Tsunade-sama can do much. I know Sizune was in charge with the case when we left." Answered Niko.

"That's too bad. I hope they will find a solution soon."

"We all do, Naruto." Kakashi said calmly, but his teammates knew that under the cool facade, Kakashi was sick with worry for Shizune.

No one really knew what was going on between the two, but it was pretty obvious from the way the two interacted that they cared deeply for each other. Now Kakashi hadn't seen the woman in three weeks and the stress was beginning to show.

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When he former team Kakashi plus Niko entered the Hokage's office, they found Shikamaru Nara standing in front of a tired Tsunade, clutching a file in his palm.

"It's good to see you. I'm sorry I won't give you time to rest after your mission, but time is short." Tsunade addressed them without waiting for their greeting.

"What's the matter, granny?"

"Our scientists have a hard time finding a cure for this mysterious disease. Since the only thing we know that can cure this is perfect chakra control, we're having a bit of a problem, because we don't have many medics like that in Konoha."

"What about Shizune?" Niko asked with a concerned voice.

"Shizune has been infected and she is fighting for her like as we speak."

Tsunade's declaration surprised everyone. They could all feel the coldness coming from Kakashi. It was a wonder that the man had the strength to talk next.

"What's the plan?"

"You are to retrieve Sakura Haruno from a town near the border named Sakazaki. Shikamaru is going with you. I need Sakura here ASAP."

Shikamaru was the one to answer after a long pause. "We'll bring Sakura back, Hokage-sama."

Them they all left to acquire the necessary supplies. Squad fifteen's members were lost in thought.

Kakashi was worried. After all those years spent in solitude, he had finally found a woman who cared for him and who understood him. Now she was dying, the only chance he had at happiness was fading away and he couldn't do anything about it.

How was he supposed to put his trust in Haruno Sakura's hands. She was the dead weight of team seven, what the hell was Tsunade thinking? Sure, he respected Sakura for becoming a medic and for occasionally healing his eyes, but wasn't Tsunade putting a little too much faith in the girl?

Sakura didn't even trust herself to be a good kunoichi since she left the village and retired from her job without telling them a thing. Did she even care enough to come and help Shizune if she could? Kakashi was seriously doubting that.

Naruto was a little scared. He was going to see Sakura again after a very long time. How was she now? Was she married? Did she have kids? All these questions were running through Naruto's mind.

The blond boy didn't really know how to feel. He was angry with her on one hand, but on the other he was happy that he would see her again. But most of all, he was disappointed because the Sakura he knew wasn't a quitter and she had given up on the thing that mattered most to him, she had given up on team seven.

Sasuke was curious. He wanted to see how Sakura would react when they would show up on her doorstep asking for her help. She had helped him that one time, but everyone knew that she was in love with him.

Would she do the same for Shizune? He knew they had both studied under Tsunade, but they were never a team, were they? Probably, Sakura wasn't so close to the brown haired woman.

Niko was concerned. She heard about Sakura Haruno before. The woman was a legend in the medical field. Some would say she was better than even Tsunade.

Also, she was a feared worrior. It is said that on one mission, things went terribly wrong and her teammates, other two medic-nins had been captured. Rumor has it that she went ballistic. All the enemies were slaughtered in a matter of five minutes and by the time her teammates came to, they were already half way to Konoha.

Another thing Niko knew about the woman, was that she had been part of team seven.

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Waking up, Sakura could see the night sky. The stars were looking down on her, sparkling with light as if she were in some fairytale. Funny thing, instead of a beautiful castle, Sakura found herself in the devastated town of Sakazaki, that had only a few houses still standing, the others having been reduced to rubbish earlier that day.

Instead of cheerful ferries, Sakura found herself surrounded by rotting corpses.

And if memory served her right, the princess was usually a sweet girl who wanted the best for others, not some monster who can destroy a town in half an hour.

Pushing herself up from the ground, Sakura started to move, knowing that she cannot stay there forever. She checked her wounds and saw that they were healed; the only reminder being the huge quantity of blood that drenched her clothes.

She lost a lot of blood, but her chakra reserves were slowly going up. If she could make it to a house, maybe she could find shelter for the night.

Prompting herself to a wall to keep steady, she slowly made her way to her on and off boyfriend's house. A clone of hers had seen him escape the village with his little brother.

Kenji was a sweet guy. He took her out sometimes and would always ask if she needed something. They would spend the night at his place once in a while and he always pampered her like she was some princess.

Sakura told him that she wasn't ready for a relationship and he accepted that without even asking for an explanation. The young woman had been thinking about telling him the truth about her past and starting a serious relationship with the man she came to care for.

She walked by the place where her block once stood. Her vision was starting to get blurry and if she didn't make it in time to Kenji's, she would pass out in the cold.

Trying to concentrate, walking step by step, Sakura's eyes laid over a still form on the ground. She had seen many corpses in the ruined Sakazaki, but this particular one made her gasp for air, even though there as no air coming in her lungs.

Staring right back at her, were the lifeless brown eyes of Kenji. His brown spiky hair covered in blood. The wound he sustained to his head had been fatal.

An anguished scream left Sakura's purple, ice lips as she hurriedly stumbled to the form of her lover. Her form lay unmoving next to his still body as her white, ice-cold hand traveled to his face, caressing his handsome features.

He had returned for her.

The realization brought her so much grief that she closed her eyes shut to block the image of him staring lifelessly at her. With a slow, grueling movement of her hand, she closed his eyes for the last time, even if it was the hardest thing she ever did.

As Sakura lay there, her arm now half-hugging Kenji's torso, she could only ask herself what she had done to deserve it all.

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><strong>

_**Oh, you can hear me cry**__**  
><strong>__**See my dreams all die**__**  
><strong>__**From where you're standing**__**  
><strong>__**On your own.**__**  
><strong>__**It's so quiet here**__**  
><strong>__**And I feel so cold**__**  
><strong>__**This house no longer**__**  
><strong>__**Feels like home.**__**  
><strong>_

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><p><em><strong>AN: **_PLEASE REVIEW

**Marie Blubert**


	3. Chapter 3: Born to die

Disclaimer: I don't own **Naruto** or **Born to die **by Lena del Rey.

Songs: **Born to die** by Lena del Rey.

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><p><strong>.<strong>

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**Breathe into me**

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_**Chapter three: Born to die**_

_**Feet don't fail me now  
>Take me to the finish line<br>All my heart, it breaks every step that I take  
>But I'm hoping that the gates,<br>They'll tell me that you're mine  
>Walking through the city streets<br>Is it by mistake or design?  
>I feel so alone on a Friday night<br>Can you make it feel like home, if I tell you you're mine  
>It's like I told you honey<strong>_

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><p>The snowstorm was still raging.<p>

Sakura lay next to her dead lover on the cold, hard ground, hoping that they would both freeze there together.

The sound of her desperate sobs had long since died down and now only the wheezing wind could be heard.

How could something like this happen to her? She could lose a lot of things, but why was he taken away from her so ruthlessly?

Kenji was more than a lover. He was her anchor. He kept her sane and stable because she knew that when she would wake up from a nightmare, he would always be by her side even if he had yet to know all the terrors she had faced.

He didn't care that she was Tsunade's apprentice. He didn't care that she fought in war. He didn't care that she could smash trees with her bare hands or that she had perfect chakra control.

No, Kenji loved her because she was Haruno Sakura, and that was it.

How was she supposed to live after she lost the one thing that kept her sane?

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><p><strong>.<strong>

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_**Don't make me sad, don't make me cry**__**  
><strong>__**Sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough**__**  
><strong>__**I don't know why**__**  
><strong>__**Keep making me laugh,**__**  
><strong>__**Let's go get high**__**  
><strong>__**The road is long, we carry on**__**  
><strong>__**Try to have fun in the meantime**_

_Haruno Sakura had lost a patient._

_That was what everyone was talking about. The young medic never lost a patient. Maybe she was lucky like that._

_But they didn't know the details and most, never cared to ask._

_Sakura was sitting by the window. She was on call and would have to keep a tough façade for her colleagues for another twelve hours._

_The patient had been an old man. He had cancer and Sakura agreed to operate him only because he had begged her._

_Without the surgery, he would have lived a couple of days, a week at most, but he claimed to be a fighter._

_Sakura believed him to be exactly that, but she knew there was no chance that the surgery would succeed. She told him that as well._

_The man said he still wanted to do it. He had nothing to lose and a few days weren't important since he had no kids and his wife had passed away a few years prior._

_So Sakura operated him, and despite her best efforts, death was inevitable._

"_Sakura. What happened?"_

_Said girl turned to see her friend, Kenji looking at her with a concerned look. She told him everything and he listened quietly, never interrupting her. By the time she was finished, he was looking at her with a calculating gaze, as he always was._

_Kenji was a young doctor, no more than thirty-two, with a good heart, but a when it came to taking decisions, he only listened to his mind._

_He had such a strong, beautiful mind. Would he hate her for what she did? Would he despise her weakness?_

_How the hell did she get herself into such a situation? Wasn't she supposed to be a coldhearted kunoichi? The handsome medic sitting beside her would have made a wonderful ninja. Much better than her. His intelligence was probably on par with Shikamaru's._

"_I should have said no. I know that, but-"_

"_Sakura."_

_Without bothering to wipe the tears that were now freely flowing, she looked up at him, expecting his harsh criticism, which he so easily bestowed to anyone who made a mistake, even if they were older doctors, superiors or nurses. _

_But it never came._

_He continued to look at her as if memorizing the pathways of her tears._

"_It's not your fault."_

_She looked at him with widened eyes and stood there unmoving._

_The man slowly raised his hand to her cheek and brushed away her hot, salty tears with a feathery touch._

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_**Don't make me sad, don't make me cry**__**  
><strong>__**Sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough**__**  
><strong>__**I don't know why**__**  
><strong>__**Keep making me laugh,**__**  
><strong>__**Let's go get high**__**  
><strong>__**The road is long, we carry on**__**  
><strong>__**Try to have fun in the meantime**_

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_One late evening in early spring, Sakura found herself walking home through the empty streets of Sakazaki with the groceries she had just purchased. _

_She left the hospital late once again. She had a complex surgery but she managed fine. The patient would live to see another day._

"_Looking for trouble, Sakura?"_

_The pinkette turned to see Kenji walking toward her. She smiled at him. They haven't really talked after the incident with her losing a patient a few weeks before._

"_Why are you saying that, Kenji?"_

"_You're walking alone in the middle of the night, aren't you?"_

"_I can handle myself. What are you doing here?"_

"_I was going to buy some groceries and I saw you."_

"_Oh."_

_There was an awkward silence for a few moments before Kenji spoke in his baritone voice._

"_I'll walk you home."_

"_There's really no need to. I can handle myself."_

"_I don't like you walking alone at this hour."_

_That was the only thing he said before he took her bags. Sakura was surprised but she quickly recovered._

"_Thanks."_

_They walked in silence for a while. It was comfortable, though. Just his presence was soothing her. It was as if she was starting to live again. Live and not just survive._

_It was the best she felt in weeks._

_Nearing her apartment, Sakura decided that she did not want him to leave. She wanted him to stay there with her and she knew it was so selfish because he could offer her a life and what could she offer him?_

_But did she care? She wasn't sure anymore, so she asked him if he was busy that evening._

"_I don't have any obligations tonight… My brother is away on a school trip." He said, unsure of what possessed his beautiful but distant friend to say such a thing."_

_Sakura couldn't help herself anymore. She wanted to be with him so badly and he had to want that too because she could feel it._

_That night, Kenji caressed Sakura's every scar, being curious but not asking questions._

_He knew that if she wanted to say something, she would. He didn't want to push her and decided to just enjoy her._

_Sakura lost herself in his soft touches._

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_**Come and take a walk on the wild side**__**  
><strong>__**Let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain**__**  
><strong>__**You like your girls insane**__**  
><strong>__**Choose your last words**__**  
><strong>__**This is the last time**__**  
><strong>__**Cause You and I**__**  
><strong>__**We were born to die**_

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><p>The blizzard had stopped but the snow continued falling.<p>

Though it was more calm. Cold as ever, but almost soothing in a strange manner.

Sakura could still be found holding onto her beloved's cold body. The tears on her face had frozen a long time ago and now she cold cry no more, for she knew she was guilty.

She was guilty not only for the tragedy that hit Sakazaki and his inhabitants, but also for Kenji's death. By keeping her secret of being a ninja, she sealed his fate.

He hadn't found her with he other survivors, so against his better judgment, he came after her, ignoring the risks that came with such a rash action.

If she ever had any doubt that the man loved her, she now knew that her suspicions were unbiased.

Why was she always too late to recognize the good things in her life?

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><p><strong>.<strong>

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Sasuke Uchiha was running side by side with Niko towards the last place in which he had seen Sakura.

They were traveling at full speed, as they needed to get Sakura in Konoha soon. Sasuke wasn't so sure Niko could keep this up for long. Her body wasn't really that strong but he couldn't deny that she was an asset to the team.

Just like Sakura had once been.

People said that he and Niko would make a good item. And everyone knew how the beauty felt about Sasuke.

Perhaps they were right, perhaps they were wrong. Sasuke couldn't quite decide. He did think about starting a relationship with the beautiful woman to see if she would make a good mother for his children.

He didn't want to make the same mistake with Niko that he had done with Sakura once upon a time.

So why wasn't he at least letting her know that she meant something for him?

"What the fuck?"

Naruto's brute shout brought him out of his thoughts and he looked ahead to see the once imposing but cheerful town from his memories turned into dust and ruble.

What the hell had happened? It was like a war zone.

"Let's go check this out."

Shikamaru's alert tone made them move.

As they walked through what was left of the streets of Sakazaki, they shuddered, remembering of a once destroyed Konoha.

Corpses, half-covered in snow, littered the alleys and all that the shinobi could do was wish that none of the bodies had pink hair.

They had their hopes up because they knew that she could save herself if anything was to endanger her life.

Were they asking for too much?

The Uchiha's breath, however, caught in his throat when he came over the sight of the pink haired girl from his childhood, sprawled on the floor, extremely pale and covered in blood and frozen snow.

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><p><strong>.<strong>

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**A/N:** I thought I should make Kenji have a little significance to Sakura, give her something to miss and mourn.

Just so you know, the character that was the inspiration for me to create Kenji was Ayumu Narumi from **Spiral**.

Please review!

**Marie Blubert**


	4. Chapter 4: Duty calls

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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><p><strong>.<strong>

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**Breathe into me**

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_**Chapter four: Duty calls**_

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><p>Everyone was just frozen on the spot.<p>

What were they to do? Was she still alive?

Their problems seemed to never end. Konoha was in a shaky state and they needed her. Could it be that fate was working against them? If Sakura was dead, how could their village ever recover?

Sasuke knew that was the real problem. Konoha.

However, did his breath really hitch because of that?

Of course, at that time, he could not really think like that. None of them could as they were barely breathing due to the fear they all felt. Hey were all so very afraid but they were not certain about what.

Naruto was the first one to recover and his rasp, animal like voice brought them back to the frozen reality they found themselves in.

"Niko, heal her!"

His shout pushed the dark haired medic nin into action and her hands started glowing green as she kneeled next to the lifeless bodies.

They were all surprised when Niko's eyed widened and in an instant, she stopped the flow of healing chakra.

Shikamaru felt his heart literally break. One may think that they were not close, but truth be said, he considered Sakura to be something between his sister and his guardian angel.

She had saved his life during war and nursed him back to health after numerous missions. The pink hair woman was the reason he was able to find happiness next to Ino and he knew his girlfriend would be devastated once she heard the news.

But there was more to Sakura than her healing abilities and her strong friendship with Ino. She had been there for team ten when Asuma had passed away.

She also was a shoulder to cry on for Ino and him after Inoichi and Shikaku sacrificed themselves in war.

The members of the former team seven felt immediate grief. They felt like they had been stabbed in the heart. Neither of them ever thought that they would meet Sakura again like this, surrounded by corpses and blood.

She was supposed to live a long, happy life. Get married and have children.

Sakura Haruno was the epitome of light, joy and piece and she was gone, lost in what seemed like the remains of hell's wrath.

Their thoughts were interrupted, however, when the pink haired woman stirred in Niko's arms and opened her eyes, stifling a tired yawn with her pale, cold hand.

"Amazing…" was all Niko could say.

She was stunned. It was clear that the woman had sustained deep wounds. To think that she could fully heal herself in that state was beyond imagination. She even managed to keep herself from becoming hypothermic. Sakura Haruno was a formidable medic.

"S-Sakura…" Naruto's shaky voice caught the said woman's attention and she turned to see her old friends looking at her as if she just came back from the dead.

She was certain that that is how she looked at the moment. Her whole body was sore and her head hurt. She turned her head to Kenji and remembered that the nightmare was real.

The tragedy had happened and she felt like she just wanted to fade back into unconsciousness.

Naruto had been angry with Sakura since the day he found out she left Konoha, He could forgive many things, but destroying his dream of having team seven, his family, back, was not one of them.

So he held a grudge toward her ever since that fateful day. Everyone knew Naruto's resentment toward the medic he had, once upon a time, fell in love with.

Now, however, seeing her alive after the scare she had given him, he forgot all about his calculated hate. He just leapt to her and cradled her in his arms as if he was going to lose her any moment.

Kakashi and Shikamaru let out a breath of relief. Both of them were thankful that the pinkette was still alive.

Sasuke was the only one to notice her attire. The old, thin, black and ripped coat she had over her was barely providing any warmth. Quickly, he placed his black cloak around her shoulders.

"Let's get out of here. The storm is getting heavier." Sasuke said, sounding cold and professional as always.

"No." Sakura said in something barely above a whisper but nevertheless, firm and just as cold as Sasuke's tone. "I will not leave Kenji."

Squad fifteen and Shikamaru exchanged curious looks, wondering what to do.

"Who is Kenji, Sakura?" Naruto asked her as if she had lost her mind, treading carefully as to not instigate a crisis.

But Sakura understood the tone of his voice too well. What did he know, really?

But then again, maybe he was right. She was close to losing herself before Kenji had died, what was going to stop her now?

Her answer caught them all off guard.

"The love of my life."

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><p><strong>.<strong>

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Sakura Haruno was crying alone near the place where they had buried Kenji. She didn't want to le him go, but they insisted that it was better than leaving him there as they couldn't stay in Sakazaki much longer.

In her deprived state, she had not been able to think her own thoughts and hadn't resisted their decision.

She was left to mourn in silence as none of the ninja wanted to hear her anguished cry. They all had their share of pain in the past and did not want to impose.

Sakura straightened her shoulders and wiped her tears. She would visit Kenji's mother in the Mist Country and they would give him a proper burial. She would do her best to console his family and mourn with them.

With that thought in mind, Sakura walked inside Kenji's house, where she had let the ninja rest, determined to send them on their way. When she got there, however, her plan backfired at her.

"Sakura, I know you are hurting right now but you leave for Konoha with us first thing in the morning. You should rest" Kakashi bossed her around in the same way he did back when she was a twelve year old on his genin team.

"Excuse me?" Everyone averted their eyes to the now angry Sakura. "Who do you think you are to tell me what to do?"

"I think you won't slow us down so much if you rest for a few hours." Kakashi said, not really realizing that she wasn't angry about his remark regarding getting rest.

She hadn't been angry about that, but the fact that he implied that she would slow them down only served to add to her fury.

"I'm not going to Konoha."

Sakura's tone signaled that it was the end of their discussion. Shikamaru decided that it was his turn to intervene and salvage what was left of Sakura and Kakashi's relationship.

"Sakura, please hear us out. Kakashi didn't mean to speak like that." The lazy boy apologized on the grey haired man's behalf. "Konoha is facing a crisis and the Hokage requested your presence immediately."

"Tell Tsunade to shove something up her ass."

She couldn't believe that her mentor had betrayed her. Tsunade promised to never disclose her location. Were all Konoha ninjas scum? How low had they fallen?

"Sakura, please!"

Never, in all her years as a kunoichi, had she heard Kakashi Hatake plead. Now, here he was, begging her to return to Konoha for some unknown reason that she did not even care to know.

The copycat came closer and closer until he backed her against a wooden wall. The pinkette could feel his hot breath graze her cold skin.

"You must come with us."

"Why? Why should I listen to you?" Sakura said in a shaky voice whilst narrowing her eyes in a glare full of hatred.

Had this man no regard for her feelings? But of course not. He was just a cold-blooded ninja, who thought that she would never be able to make a life for herself. That she would never be able to love someone else than Uchiha Sasuke, his prized pupil in everything but loyalty.

"Why should I come with you and save Konoha from its own incompetence? Why should I be there for Konoha? Where was Konoha when I needed it?" She finished shaking and shouting in Kakashi's face not realizing that she instigated his anger, the last of his patience vanishing in thin air.

The medic never thought she would live to see the day her teacher raise his fist at her, but when he punched the wall right beside her right ear, leaving a huge dent, she knew something in him had snapped.

They were all shocked at Kakashi's sudden violent outburst. Sasuke was the first to react. In a flash, he was right behind his former teacher and he pried the man off Sakura, placing an iron hold on him and dragging him a couple of meters away.

"Sakura, if you do not come to help us, Shizune will die. Tsunade can not save her by herself and there is no one else who could compare to you." Niko said, being the most rational person in the room.

Shizune's name caught Sakura's attention. The woman had been a one of her teachers. She helped Sakura acquire her abilities. How could she refuse to save one of the persons who made her who she was?

"When I started my training as a medic, I was the worst student." Sakura said in a defeated tone, letting a small nostalgic smile grace her lips.

"I was no where near the top, but I worked hard and exceeded every expectation. I could not have done it without a number of people. Shizune is one of those people."

The ninja's looked at her, hoping that she would agree to help.

"If you would have mentioned Shizune's name earlier, I would have agreed right away."

The medic's voice was calm, but it held many feelings. She was sad that they did not even consider asking her what had happened in Sakazaki. She was mad that they did not believe it was important to mention Shizune.

Did they believe that she was still just a killing tool such as them? One who followed orders blindly and left innocents to die when it was not her mission to help?

Hearing that the girl would comply, Kakashi fell to his knees and between sharp breaths, he managed to utter a meaningful "Thank you, Sakura!"

Sasuke finally loosened his grip on the older man and watches Sakura intently. Gone was the peaceful, serene face she had when he had met her just a few months prior. In its place settled a grieving expression that did not suit her at all.

Looking at his red, sweaty face, Sakura wondered just what had trespassed between her two teachers while she was away from Konoha.

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><p><strong>.<strong>

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_**A/N:**_ Please review!

**Marie Blubert**


	5. Chapter 5: Supergirl

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Song: Supergirl by Reamon

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**Breathe into me**

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_**Chapter five: Supergirl**_

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_**And then she'd say it's OK, I got lost on the way,**__**  
><strong>__**But I'm a Supergirl and Supergirls don't cry**_

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The Leaf Shinobi did not wait for the pale, lazy sun to make its appearance. By the time morning came, they were well on their way to save Konoha. Everyone wore their standard ninja attire to keep them warm during the frosty snow. Everyone but the pink haired medic. She was not a kunoichi anymore, so that was normal.

The problem was that all her clothes had been turned to dust along with most part of Sakazaki. She didn't have much of a choice, but to wear some of Kenji's clothes. She wasn't sure if the fact brought her comfort or if it tortured her to feel so close yet at the same time at in unbearable distance away from the man she loved and lost.

She kept her black, knee-high, leather boots on her feet, but otherwise, she felt as if she was bathing in him as his smile invaded her nostrils. She was wearing a pair of his black pants, that did not fall off for the simple fact that she bound them tightly around her hips with a waistband. She also wore one of his black sweaters and a black hooded jacket that reached her middle tights and served to cover her pink haired head.

She knew she looked ridiculous. Her petite body was floating in the huge clothes, but she couldn't be more grateful for them. They provided much needed warmth for both her body and soul. The fact that she at least felt his presence was a huge consolation, as none of her old companions seemed to spare her a second glance from the moment they set off to Konoha and she couldn't feel more alone than if she had been traveling alone.

Except for Shikamaru who seemed to be aware that she was there, but decided to stay close enough for her to know that he was there, but at the same time, far enough so she didn't have to talk to him.

She was actually grateful for that. If they were to have a conversation, she wouldn't know what to say. She also didn't know if he was keeping his distance because he understood her pain or because he was resenting her for leaving the village as her other comrades did.

Sakura was instructed to keep away from any fights they might encounter on the way as she was supposed to preserve her strength for the sole purpose for which she was heading towards the village, meaning to save Shizune and help Tsunade with the illness.

They would take care of everything, they said. It was no need for her to get involved.

Normally, their lack of rust in her combat skills would cause her distress and sadness. They were the men and she was the useless little girl who couldn't do anything by herself. Yes, in the past, she used to be bothered by that, but now she found that she didn't really care.

Once upon a time she strived for their recognition, respect and affection. She did everything in order to gain their attention and prove her worth, but now she came to the conclusion that it was simply no use. They would never recognize her power.

The fools wouldn't even know what hit them if she started having a panic attack and losing her control.

She prayed that it would not happen, though. The whole reason for her leaving Konoha was to keep away from fights, to lie low and mend her broken heart and mind.

She could not even bring herself to think about the state of devastation in which her little piece of heaven,Sakazaki, was at the moment because she felt her eyes water instantly, her lungs not able to receive the much needed oxygen and her mind clouded with the desire to smash, destroy and kill.

She couldn't allow herself to give in to her blood thirst and the fact that she wasn't required to fight was a big advantage. Unbeknownst to them, she felt extremely grateful for their protection, even though they were doing it for the wrong reasons.

A few tears back, she would have thrown a fit with screams and glares, but not now. Now she matured and she knew why she didn't feel the need to be strong in front of them anymore. It wasn't because of her posttraumatic disorder, for they knew nothing about it and that only served to show that they were clueless idiots. No, it was because after so many years of hardships and pain, she felt they didn't deserve her blood and tears.

Kakashi, still in his position as the leader, decided that they should take a break. Sakura didn't want to agree with him. She wanted to solve the problem in Konoha as soon as possible, for she had other matters to attend to. She decided it was time she spoke up. She was the one who made a sacrifice to go to Konoha and delay her responsibilities, so she believed she should have a say.

"I don't want to stop. I have other responsibilities to take care of and I would like to waste no time solving the village's problem." Her calm, quiet but strong voice was heard for the first time in hours. She almost didn't even recognize it herself.

Kakashi looked at her with surprise, as if he wasn't expecting her to have an opinion on the matter. He looked at her almost as if he just remembered she was there with them.

Then something flashed in his naked black eye. Did she think that he wanted to waste time and delay Shizune's recovery? His former student was irritating him more and more. He didn't even understand what part she would play in Tsunade's plan. And if push came to shove, she didn't have the right to speak up as they were only stopping because she was too weak to keep up with them.

Also, Niko was tired from traveling all the way from Konoha to Sakazaki, but Sakura, who had probably not been involved in any strenuous activity since she abandoned the village could not look past her own selfish wishes.

"You still fail to see the obvious. You are the one who needs rest so you can keep up the pace. You're still as selfish and superficial as always. Since you defected from the village, you haven't performed any strenuous activity, so you feel fine now, but what about Niko? She traveled a long distance in bad conditions for you. I guess you still don't understand the term 'teamwork'."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. His accusations made no sense. How dare he speak to her like that? No strenuous activity? The old geezer had no idea what he was saying. She just crushed _her own_ town against her will. She was about to give him a piece of her mind, but his next words stopped her.

"You are not part of our team. You have no say in this."

Everyone fell silent, but Kakashi's harsh words still rang in the air. Everyone was glancing at Sakura from time to time just to see her reaction. It was as if they wanted to see her affected by what he said, as if they felt a weird satisfaction because the grey haired male decided to make justice and put her in her place.

What was her place?

Sakura knew what it had been back when she was still in the leaf village. She was always the third wheel. Always there, but never needed.

What was her place now?

Kakashi had made it very clear that she didn't have one anymore. Not on their team, and certainly not in their hearts. And she could take it, Really, she could, but the fact was, that they were the ones begging for her help and not the other way around.

That's when she came to the conclusion that no, they did not deserve her blood and tears. Not then nor ever, for not only were they cold and harsh toward her but also completely ignorant of her. They ignored her strength, her accomplishments, her feelings and her wishes.

She would also never give them the satisfaction of seeing her crumble because of the copycat's speech. She did not even flinch, though her heart was filled with disappointment.

No one said anything but she could see the pity in Shikamaru's eyes and she hated herself for it. She should have talked back to Kakashi and tell him the truth. That he was blind and failed to see how things stood. She was not the bad guy in this story, but she was too weak to tell them that. Next to them, she would always be weak.

Suddenly, Sakura remembered all of the reasons why she left the dreaded place she once called 'home' and for the first time in a very long time, she felt as if she was just a useless little girl all over again and she just wanted to cry her eyes out. But she couldn't do that because she had no more tears to left cry.

All she could ask herself was why had all her strength left her the moment these people came back into her life.

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Sasuke would not say that Sakura deserved Kakashi's words. He _knew_ she didn't. He could not, however, bring himself to defend her, as he felt strangely satisfied to see someone telling her that because she left, she had to face the consequences. She was no longer one of them.

You'd think he'd sympathize with her because he was once upon a time not only defected from Konoha, but also turned against it. The difference was that he had a reason to leave. He had been wronged by them and he also paid for his sins once he returned. She, however, would just waltz through the gates as if she were some saint.

The pink haired woman didn't even want to help them with their problem. It was her duty as a medic and yet she was a bout to turn her back on them. He had restrained Kakashi because it was no use fighting with her. She wasn't worth it.

He got more and more angry with every second hat passed.

To think that he had actually been worried that something might have happened to her. No, people like her always found an easy way out of everything. She had everything and she didn't have to work half as much as he did. And what did he have? Certainly not half of what was hers.

Sasuke knew that Haruno Sakura was an annoying hypocrite and he hated her for that

Seeing her in that man's clothes made Sasuke's blood boil. Not because of jealousy, but because she proved that she was selfish enough to leave her friends when they needed her the most in order to fool around.

'The love of her life' she had said.

She didn't even know the meaning of the word. She had once said the same thing about him, only to find her next soul mate in the first man she stumbled upon.

She was indeed a hypocrite. She did not love him.

But Sasuke knew that she did feel something towards him. A strange sense of possession. Had he ever responded to her so-called affections, her ego would have burst with pride. She was a selfish bitch and having him would only add to her collection of fools who wait on her head and foot.

Now there she was, flaunting her idiotic boyfriend's clothes to them to show them that she didn't need them, when all she really wanted was their attention. He thought she was a better person, but seeing that she was actually a drama queen made him sick to the stomach. She wasn't like Niko who did her best to help out when she could but would not bother them otherwise.

No, Sakura always needed their undivided attention and manipulated them into obtaining it.

A mischievous smirk appeared on his face as in idea started forming in his mind. She was not in love with anyone but herself, but her ego would certainly take a blow if he were to show her that she had been replaced. Just like she had tried to replace him with Sai.

The difference would be that he was irreplaceable, the painter being now placed on another team, while she…

Not wasting anymore time he stood up and walked towards the shivering Niko, wrapping his cloak around her shoulders. He purposely walked slowly in front of Sakura for her to notice him and he felt his ego boost when he saw a flash of hurt in her eyes.

When he got to his raven haired teammate and saw her shaking from the cold he realized that they were supposed to take care of her because she would never abandon them like Sakura did.

To think that he felt sorry for the way he had treated her as kids when she didn't even think twice about leaving and starting a new life. Once he had been proud of her for having the strength to do so, but as he heard that she didn't want to come to Konoha to help, he started to realize just how much of a manipulative bitch she was.

As Niko thanked him, he just acknowledged her with a nod. He would take care of her because she needed it. Sakura would soon find another fool who would be ready to give his life for him at every moment, but it wasn't going to be him.

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_**A/N:**_ Wow, first Kakashi and now Sasuke? Who is going to be the next to snap?

Please review!

**Marie Blubert**


	6. Chapter 6:We're suvivors

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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**Breathe into me**

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_**Chapter six: We're survivors **_

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_**Risin' up, back on the street**__**  
><strong>__**Did my time, took my chances**__**  
><strong>__**Went the distance**__**  
><strong>__**Now I'm back on my feet**__**  
><strong>__**Just a man and his will to survive**_

_**(Eye of the tiger-Survivor)**_

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Haruno Sakura was running like the wind through the woods, nearing Konoha with each hurried step she took.

After her confrontation with Kakashi, she had no more interactons with the ninjas, except for Shikamaru, who despite his lazy personality, told her how Ino was doing just so she wouldn't feel so left out.

She expected to be more shaken up by her former teammate's attitude but found that she wasn't. Part of her was mad. Part of her wanted to kick Kakashi and punch Sasuke for acting so kind toward Niko.

But the other part of her, the bigger, more rational part, decided to try and see things from their perspective. For all they knew, she just got bored of the village and didn't even want to help out when she had the chance. Maybe it wasn't so smart of her to lash out at them the moment they came with Tsunade's request, but she was hurting back then.

She was still hurting, but she knew that no one who loved her would want her o crumble and give up the fight.

That was she was going to do. She would fight for Konoha one more time because they needed her even if they didn't even imagine the extent of their problem. She couldn't even fanthom it, but if Shizune and Tsunade couldn't deal with it on their own, it must be serious.

And so she made her choice.

The relationship between her and the ninjas she was currently traveling with was beyond repair, but that wasn't really any on their fault. Not Sakura's, not Kakashi's and not Sasuke's. It was life and they had to deal with it, but no one said that she couldn't be the better person and do something meaningful for them.

A person she came to respect during their short acquaintance, however, was Niko. The woman managed to gain the affection of her teammates without being much of a fighter. At first this pissed Sakura off, but then she saw how the teamwork dynamics of Squad fifteen were much better than those of team seven.

Again, most people would be mad in her place, but after all she went through, she came to appreciate all the good in the world even if she wasn't directly involved. She had had her fair share of good things in the past years as well.

Sakura Haruno decided that she wouldn't let what happened in Sakazaki destroy her. No, she would reconnect with Konoha by helping them and then she would take care of her responsibilities.

When Sakazaki would be rebuilt, she would go there to help, even if she would probably relocate at the end of the process. When all would be said and done and she would have a little more control over what was going on around her, she would start working on her PTSD problem.

After meditating a little on the matter, she realized that she hadn't really fought with her demons. No, she had tried to forget them and buried them in a far away corner of her heart. It was no surprise that they came out running at the first chance they got.

With that plan in mind, Sakura was ready to continue her journey with the intention of becoming a better person in each and every aspect. A person that would no longer wallow in self pity.

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It was night when they got in Konoha. It was raining heavily, the climate different than in Sakazaki, but the weather even nastier.

When she entered Tsunade's office, soaking wet and freezing, she felt a strange sense of comfort. The way her mentor's eyes softened and the way she enveloped her in a warm hug served to chase away any doubt regarding visiting Konoha.

Coming home felt strangely good, even if she would have liked it to be in different circumstances.

"I'm glad you're back."

"It's good to see you again, Tsunade."

Said woman pulled away and took in her pupil's appearance. Something must have gone terribly wrong for her to look so beat up. She wanted to ask what was wrong, but time was short. Would Sakura be able to help in her condition? She couldn't risk endangering her as well.

"Sakura, what happened-"?

"Tsunade, I know we don't have time. Tell me how I can help you. I can handle it."

Seeing that the fire still burned with the same determination after all the hardship she must have went through, made Tsunade's heart jump with pride. That woman standing in front of her was certainly her praised student, Sakura.

"Very well, have a seat. Squad fifteen and Shikamaru, you are dismissed."

After the ninjas left, the two woman started to discuss the matter.

"Listen, Sakura. We're dealing with some sort of degenerating disease. It's practically eating everything. It starts with the blood vessels and continues with the patient's organs. We do not know what it is. We do not have a cure for this. The only way we managed to treat it is with regenerating healing chakra, but you know that it requires precise control that most medic do not have."

The woman stopped for a moment, taking in a deep breath.

"We had only mild cases and we were able to deal with them. For more serious cases, Shizune and I took the job and all went well. Now, however, Shizune contacted the disease and I need your help to fight this. What do you say? For old time's sake?"

Sakura looked at the honey-eyed woman with a serious expression. In her head, she was already making connections, searching for the problem and a way to solve it. She also needed to save Shizune.

"Of course I will help. It's also a good change for me. Let's see how I rise up to this challenge."

Sakura decided that it was time she took matters in her own hands.

Half an hour later, Sakura was entering Shizune's room along with Tsunade, both dressed in green medical uniforms. The pink haired medic wasn't surprised to see Kakashi there, holding tightly onto her hand, like she could slip away any moment. He got up and made space for them but never left the room.

Sakura understood why he was so sensitive. That didn't give him the right to treat her the way he did, but she could understand his pain and desperation. Secretly, Sakura hoped that her saving his lover would mend a little of their relationship, but didn't bet on it.

"Tsunade, I will do this procedure on my own."

"Sakura, you can't-"

"Listen, you want me to save Shizune and find a cure, right?"

The blonde nodded her head, not seeing where her student was going with this.

"I need to come in contact with the disease as much as possible, without any other chakra intervening. If I pass out before I can finish it, you will take over and finish the job, but I need to experience this as much as I can."

"Sakura, this is way too dangerous. I understand what you want, but I can't let you do this. I want you to stop as soon as you your chakra reserves are too low."

The two women were staring at each other with intense gazes, almost glaring at each other. Their stubbornness was another similarity.

Sakura was glad, however, that Tsunade cared enough about her to fight her on the matter.

"I understand." Sakura answered but the determination in her eyes and voice was still present.

Tsunade nodded and let her begin. They couldn't waste anymore time.

The pink haired medical kunoichi placed her hands on Shizune's chest, right above her heart and started pumping her chakra into her body. She decided to start the investigation from the heart.

Tsunede had been right; the illness attacked the heart and the blood vessels first. Fortunately, no other organs had been affected due to Tsunade's continuous healing, but what was affected was in a pretty bad shape. Shizune would need some time to recover after Sakura worked her magic on her.

Knowing the state of the patient, Sakura was ready to begin the healing, so she pumped regenerating chakra with enough intensity to heal, but not to damage. Her reserves were rapidly dropping but Shizune's condition was improving with each second.

Closing her eyes, Sakura forced her body and mind to become one with Shizune's. As she closed her eyes she started o feel on her own body the excruciating pain of the disease as well as the nausea from chakra burnout.

However, that didn't stop her because she knew that with one last chakra infusion she could finish the procedure.

She vaguely heard Tsunade shouting at her to sop, but she knew the woman couldn't do anything to stop her.

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Kakashi was standing a few feet away from the bed watching in awe as the brown haired woman's condition improved with each passing second. Her face was no longer swollen and red and she was no longer sweating. Her breathing evened and she seemed to be in less pain.

His former student's glowing hands seemed to be working miracles.

He had been so angry with her for leaving, for not wanting to help. Now, he was starting to ask himself a question that he should have asked from the start. What made her change?

He didn't have time to dwell on that matter too long because Tsunade's stern voice was heard.

"Sakura, that's enough."

The command went unheard, or at least so it seemed because the younger medic did not cease her actions.

Then, he felt a huge wave of chakra push him with such force that he almost went through the wall. Tsunade was thrown through the door and into the hallway.

The copycat looked at Sakura to see what had happened but could only see that now her whole body was glowing green and her pink hair was flying everywhere.

Naruto and Tsunade managed to get inside the room once more but couldn't get close to Sakura. Next, the medic let out an excruciating scream and the green light of chakra flowed out her forest green eyes and out her small wide opened mouth.

He tried to het to the girl. He wanted Shizune to be fine but Sakura's sacrifice wasn't necessary. Tsunade could do the rest. He felt really bad now for what he had said to Sakura. The only thing he wanted was to stop her from destroying herself but found that he was powerless.

Tsunade screamed in frustration when the chakra flared with more force and the petit girl arched her back and started simply floating. Her feet were literally off the ground.

The next thing he knew, Sasuke came in and advanced rapidly toward the young woman in hopes of stopping the madness. Right before he was about to grip her arm, the chakra flow stopped and Sakura fell unconscious in Sasuke's arms.

"What the hell happened?" Once again, Naruto's raged shout made hem all cringe.

However, unlike other times, Kakashi could relate to his fury.

They'd never seen anything like what just trespassed a few moments ago and they never wanted to witness it again. The image of a floating green and glowing Sakura and her screams of excruciating pain would be forever engraved in his memory.

"I told her… to stop…" Tsunade whispered clenching her fists in rage or sadness. He couldn't tell. Then she punched a hole through the wall. "Stubborn brat!"

"Will she be ok?" Naruto once again asked.

"I don't know. I've never seen anything like this. Uchiha come with me! Kakashi stay with Shizune."

The Hokage and Sasuke carrying an unconscious Sakura left the room in a hurry, while he and Naruto remained there shocked.

Much to Kakashi's joy, Shizune woke up a few moments later.

"What happened?"

The grey haired man was by her side in an instant, holding her hand.

"Sakura…she healed you. How are you feeling?"

"A little sore, but otherwise good. You mean to say that Sakura's in Konoha?"

A wonderful smile light up the medic's face and Kakashi couldn't believe to understand how the two of them could have been so close. He just nodded and wondered if he should tell her about their student's condition. He was, however, saved by the fact that Shizune fell asleep, the smile never leaving her face.

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It was five o'clock in the morning when the copycat went to replace Sasuke in Sakura's room. They were taking shifts in watching her. Tsunade had examined her but found that she could do nothing since the pink haired medic was suffering from chakra burnout.

They would just have to wait until she woke up.

The ex-avenger never looked so tired. He had bags under his eyes and his her was messy. It seemed like he hadn't slept at all. Truth be told, Kakashi understood. Even he was still afraid of the raw power that radiated from Sakura's body. Who would have guessed that regenerating chakra could be so scary? Every time he was healed, he felt only a soothing touch that took his pain away.

He briefly wondered where Sasuke stood regarding the pinkette. He knew her leaving had hurt him even though he would never admit it, but he thought that he had gotten over it. He wasn't as sentimental as Naruto.

After they found her in Sakazaki, though, Sasuke had been angry. Was it because of her initial refusal to help them? Kakashi was a jerk himself, he knew that, but now that Shizune was going to be fine, he found that he could see things more clearly.

He would have to apologize to the pinkette once she woke up.

His thoughts were interrupted by Tsunade's arrival. The Godaime was pretty messed up herself . It seemed like everyone had a bad night.

They stood there in silence, the first rays of sun entering through the immaculate window, bringing a little warmth to the room, but not to their hearts, for the young girl lying in bed was still unconscious.

After a few more minutes the Hokage sighed tiredly and said that she would check on the research regarding the illness. Kakashi was instructed to call her right away if anything happened.

The door was closed and Kakashi also closed his eyes, trying to chase away his headache. When he opened them again, he looked toward the bed only to see Sakura sitting in her bed, her creamy, slim legs dangling over the edge and a small smirk present on her lips.

"Good morning." She said with a voice that told the older man that she was cooking up a plan in that devious mind of hers.

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_**A/N:**_ The difference between simple healing chakra and regenerating chakra is, in this story, a matter of chakra control. Not all medical ninjas have the latter. Just in case you were wondering.

Unfortunately, I deleted the story and all your wonderful reviews, but no worries, I'm still writing the story.

Please review!

**Marie Blubert**


	7. Chapter 7: Aggressive approach

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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**Breathe into me**

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_**Chapter seven: Aggressive approach**_

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Squad fifteen, Shikamaru and Sakura gathered in Tsunade's office.

"That's the last time I'm gonna let you pull that trick on me, brat!" Tsunade said, still angry at Sakura for ending up in a hospital bed.

"I don't think you are aggressive enough."

Everyone looked at Sakura like she just grew a second head.

"Oh? You're saying that I should beat your ass? 'Cause right now, I sure feel like it."

"That's not what I was talking about. This disease. You've gotten soft. All of you."

"Listen-"

"No, you listen. There's no cure, ok?"

Everyone's breath hatched in their throat.

"What we have here is an extremely complicated virus. That's why antibiotics won't work. Plus, even if we find a way to destroy it, the immune system won't be able to take it all out."

"But can't we just continue the treatment until it's gone? I now that will weaken the shinobi, but it's better if they can't take missions for a while than to be dead." Niko mused on what Sakura said.

"Normally, I'd say the same thing, but in this case, that can't apply. When I said that the virus is complicated, I meant it. It adapts very quickly once in the human body. You can never get rid of it with meds."

"So the virus is really strong once it enters the human body?" Tsunade said rubbing her temples.

"Basically, yes."

"And the only cure is regenerating chakra?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Sakura, you can't let me alone on this one."

"I don't intend to. I might be able to make a vaccine of sorts to protect the healthy shinobi. For those who contacted the disease, our last hope is regenerating chakra."

"So how do you advise me to deal with this situation?"

"Give me two days in the lab. Maybe three. Then vaccine everyone from Konoha. As for the infected ones, I'll let you to deal with that since I'll be in the lab. Once my research is done, I'll help. Meanwhile, Shikamaru can cook up a plan to take down the bastard who did this. However, I don't advise anyone in leaving the village. Not before they have the vaccine."

"Sounds like a plan to me. Squad fifteen will assist Shikamaru. I'll take you to the lab. Let's get to work, people."

Tsunade said while dashing out the door. Sakura followed her after muttering a small goodbye to her old friends.

"Wow, Sakura-chan is amazing."

Naruto said in awe.

"Yes, she is, Naruto." Kakashi agreed with him and still felt guilty because of the fiht he had with Sakura.

Like Shikamaru, Sasuke didn't say much, but he too found Sakura to be really good. Truth be old, he always had faith in her as a doctor. He just didn't know she was this good.

Niko couldn't help but feel a little insecure. Perhaps she was the one who understood the best what Sakura was doing for Konoha. The woman only proved once more how valuable she was.

Niko always knew the pink haired medic's worth and had no intention in denying it, but what uneavered her was how Sasuke was perceiving her. What was she to him? An old friend? An old teammate? An ex-flame or a newfound love interest?

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"Sakura, are you sure you can do this?"

"For the last time, Tsunade, yes, I can do this."

"Fine, but if you have any problem at all, you stop. You stop and you come to me."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry so much. It's not like the lab can trigger any bad memories. I won't lose it. Bad things never happened to me in labs."

"Sakura, don't tell me not to worry. You don't understand how sorry I am for bringing you back here."

"You know, at first I was really mad at you. I mean really, really mad. But now I get it and I'm sorry. I know that you wouldn't have asked for me if you could deal with this alone."

"Thank you for understanding. What happened to you in Sakazaki?"

"Let's not talk about that. We have work to do. We'll have all the time in the world to catch up once this problem is solved."

"You're right. Here we are."

They got to Konoha's research institute and and Tsunade cleared her throat, catching everyone's attention.

"Everyone, this is Sakura Haruno. Most of you already know her. She will be the one leading the research. Whatever she says, you do. Understood?"

Everyone nodded their heads in understanding.

"Now you do your magic and give me something I can work with. Do your best, Sakura."

Tsunade left the building, leaving Sakura in charge of everything.

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It was close to midnight and Sakura was looking at the microscope, wrapped in a white coat.

Most of the other scientists left hour prior but she remained to finish her work.

A stern knock on the door was heard and in walked the person she never expected to see, Uchiha Sasuke.

"Hey." He greeted, putting down on the table some takeaway food.

"Hey. What are you doing here?" Sakura asked, not bothering to mask her surprise.

"I figured you'd be here. Bet you're pretty hungry." Sasuke said, a little uncomfortable with having to speak so much, but she had the right to know what he was doing there.

"Um, thanks. If you don't mind me asking, why do you care whether or not I'm hungry?"

"What? You surprised?" Sasuke said while a ghost of a smirk appeared on his face.

"Well, yeah. I must say it's a first." When his face became blank, Sakura knew she said the wrong thing.

"I see why you'd say that. Look, you were gone a long time and that's our business. It's not my place to know so I won't ask, but that doesn't change the fact that you missed out on a lot."

"So you want to say that you changed?"

"I'm not saying that. Or maybe I do. I don't know and frankly I don't care. After the war, we got to loosen up a little, you know. All of us. At first it was hard, but then we started to get drinks together, make jokes. I'd say we healed pretty good."

"You've all gotten soft." Sakura said smirking at him. She wanted to make a joke, but then she remembered that she was talking to Sasuke and immediately regretted the words that came out of her mouth.

She expected him to be angry or to simply walk away from her, never looking back, but to her surprise, he smirked right back at her.

"Yeah, I guess we did. Nothing good comes out of war, but we did win andI think everything is relatively right in the world now. There's no need to hold on to hate and pain. You were the first one to understand that. We were quick to follow."

Sakura smiled at his explanation. It was sweet of him to say that even if he didn't know the truth about her, but that was hardly his fault. She was the one that shut them out.

"Look, Sakura. I want to apologize."

"Sasuke, it's ok. You were hurt and you wanted revenge for your family. I get it."

"No. You have to listen. Please just hear me out."

Sakura couldn't believe her ears. Was Uchiha Sasuke asking her to let him apologize? That was something she never thought she'd hear.

"Ok."

"I was a jerk to you back when we were kids. I know the cause, but that doesn't mean I'm not at fault. After the war, the same thing happened. I think about it now and I realize that I would hate it if someone treated me that way."

"It's ok, Sasuke."

"No, wait. There's more."

"More?"

"Yeah. When we found you in Sakazaki and you refused to help, I started to hate you a little. I thought you were a bitch who turned her back on us."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I ignored the fact that you were hurting. That you are hurting. Now, seeing that you work hard to help the village, I realize I was wrong. I should have stepped up for you in front of Kakashi. He was hurting, but that's no reason for him to say what he said."

"Thanks. It means a lot."

"I know we're not exactly friends. I get that. I just want us to be on good terms."

"I want that too, Sasuke."

Sakura said smiling and they started eating the food that Sasuke brought.

"So how's the research coming up?"

"I'm optimistic about this. I think that because the disease didn't affect many people, we will be able to fight it off relatively easy and fast."

"That's good. Any thing I can do to help?" Sasuke asked, not really expecting her to ask something of him.

However, when she didn't answer, he looked to see her watching him intently.

"What?"

"I could use you're sharingan, you know."

"How?"

"When I have the vaccine ready, and it will be pretty soon, I might use someone who can see inside the body. Now I could ask for the Hyuuas to help, but I would like to see the process myself. You could watch, and then use Makengou Sharingan on me."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not using the sharingan on you. Have you lost it?"

"What? No.?"

"Do you know what I can do to you with that?"

"I trust you."

"Then you're not as smart after all."

"Go to hell."

"Sure. Whatever you want." Sasuke said grabbing his coat and leaving the room.

Sakura sighed and sat down. So much for things being good between them.

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Next day came sooner than Sakura wanted it to, but the good thing was that she was getting closer and closer to the wanted result.

People started to come to work and Sakura found herself missing the quiet of the night. She for teamwork, but in such cases the colleagues must be rally tight for the results to be good. She barely knew these people.

"Hey, Sakura-chan!"

"Naruto! What are you doing here?" Sakura said.

"I came to visit. Sasuke said you were working yourself to death."

"You spoke to Sasuke?"

"Yeah, he said you asked him to use the sharingan on you."

"Yeah, I did. What's the big deal?"

"Well, you know…giving your history, he might not be comfortable with that."

"I told him I didn't have a problem with it."

"I don't think he's comfortable with using it on anyone who isn't his enemy."

"Whatever."

"Come on, Sakura-chan. He is trying to be the good guy here. You know it's not his style."

"I just asked him for one small favor. It was my request."

"He doesn't really know how to look at this. You've been away frm Konoha for quite a while, you know."

"Yeah, Naruto. I do know. The fact is, that I'm not doing this for myself. He should understand that."

"He just didn't expect it. He thought he would have to comfort you and stuff like that. It came as a surprise that you want him to go all sharingan on you. He's afraid and that's good. The old Sasuke wouldn't have been."

"Well the old Sakura would have been afraid. The new Sakura isn't. You guys are not the only ones that changed, you know."

"Yeah, I know."

There was a small pause. No one said anything. They just stared at each other, trying to understand what the other was thinking.

"You know, we all changed, Sakura-chan. You changed away from us and that's why we can't understand each other. I hated you for leaving. I still kind of do, but seeing you fight for Konoha like this…it soothes me. It shows that no matter where we are, we still have a common point. Konoha."

"Yeah,I glad we have that."

I said as Naruto engulfed me in a hug. That's when I knew that no matter how many trials we had to go though, no matter how much we had to suffer, there would always be a strange sense of camaraderie between us. That's when I knew that everything would be, as Sasuke put it, relatively alright.

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Next morning, Sakura had the research all wrapped up. The vaccine was made and she was in a room with Tsunade, Shizune and Neji.

"I have to hand it to you, Sakura, you really worked fast."

"Thank you, Tsunade-"

The door opened and Sasuke walked inside.

"What are you doing here, brat?" Tsunade snapped at him.

"Sakura asked me to come."

Everyone looked at the pink haired medic. She was surprised, shocked even to see him there, but she mustered the power to nod her head.

"So, who is having the vaccine?" Sasuke asked.

"I am."

"What? Are you nuts?

"Sasuke, this is my creation. I must test it."

"No. You've done enough."

"This is why I am here, Sasuke. To help. I can't do anything for the dead but the living can be saved. You understand that, don't you?"

The other occupants of the room looked at the two, not knowing what was going on. Sasuke was petrified but he still did not show any signs of agreeing with Sakura.

"I made this. I'm sure it will work. I just want to test it before giving it to someone else. It's a matter of ethics and I' going to do it whether you like it or not."

The medic said, stabbing herself in the arm with a syringe, pumping the substance into her arm.

Everyone was shocked but there was nothing more to do. Sasuke activated his sharingan and started monitoring the process.

"Thank you." Sakura said while taking a seat.

Everyone held their breath, hoping for the best. Sasuke couldn't help but acknowledge that he still felt the need to protect Sakura like when they were kids. This time, however, he wasn't a boy anymore. He was a man and he decided that what he felt wasn't so wrong. Not at all actually.

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It was raining outside when Sakura woke up in the same hospital room in which she injected herself with the substance she created.

"Did it work?" She asked Tsunade with a hopeful smile on her face.

The blonde Hokage sighed and nodded.

"This is the last time I'm letting you do something like this."

"You know there's nothing you can do to stop me." The pink haired medic said grinning.

That being said, all doctors were distributed the substance and the ninjas were getting their shots.

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After all the work was done, Sakura was taking a well deserved break, as Naruto had put it. She was eating ramen with Sasuke and Naruto, ust like old times.

Of course, she knew the drift between them was very much still there, perhaps it would be there forever. Perhaps she didn't even want it to go away. At least not entirely, since she felt that keeping her distance had been a good way of surviving these past years.

But despite the fact that there were differences between them, she knew that when push came to shove, they would be there for her. That if she were to ask, they would protect her even if they weren't ordered to do so.

Naruto kept talking about his missions, about his training as Hokage and about Hinata. The young woman was glad to hear that he was doing ok in her absence. It seemed Naruto had become a true adult, loving and reliable. Not that he wasn't like that before, but he was just a little more mature.

When she thought that she had a moment of peace, that nothing could ruin the night for team seven, Sasuke's sharingan started blazing and he knocked down their plates.

"Hey, teme! What's going on?"

As startled as Sakura was, she knew what was going on. His blood limit was reacting to the vaccine. It was what she feared the most. She had tested and retested the substance and in was convinced that it could do no harm, but it seemed that she had been wrong.

Te rest was a blur for Sakura, the details of the night would remain forever hazy for her. She yelled at Naruto to help her get the boy she had once loved to the hospital. When they got there, she took him to a hospital room and laid him on a bed.

Everyone went crazy. Tsunade confirmed what she already knew. Sasuke's body was fighting back and they had nothing to do but to wait and see if he survived.

Naruto wanted to stay, but Tsunade wouldn' let him. Sasuke needed space and Sakura was the only one allowed to stay with him. The older woman assured Sakura that her research was experimental and that everyone knew there were risks, yet decided to take that shot.

The guilt she felt that night would remain forever in her heart.

His agonizing screams when he was half-conscious for a few moments terrified her, but it was nothing compared to his silence when he fell unconscious again and she had no idea if he would ever wake up again.

She never left his side that night, nor the day that followed. She stood by his bed, trying to soothe his pain in however way she could. She couldn't eat because she felt like throwing up all the time. She couldn't sleep for she was haunted by the thought that he would die and she wouldn't be awake to hold his hand.

It was close to midnight when Uchiha Sasuke opened his eyes only to see a defeated, tired and weak Sakura, sobbing beside his bed with her face hidden in her palms.

"S-Sakura."

The girl looked up and she stopped breathing, as if the air coming out of her lungs could somehow hurt him. She looked at him with big, teary eyes, not believing that what she was seeing was real. Then she simply embraced him, whispering in his ear over and over again that she was sorry.

Sasuke didn't know what she was talking about, so when she wouldn't let go, he awkwardly put his arms around him, letting her cry on his shoulder.

Later he found out what had happened.

Sakura excepted him to be pissed, to accuse her of wanting to murder him, but he did no such thing. He simply looked her in the eye and she couldn't tear her gaze away. After a moment he told her that she had nothing to be sorry about.

And he meant it. He didn't want to die, but in the end, he was a soldier. Duty came before everything and even though he strayed from that path as a kid, he was certain of who he was now and what he had to do.

He was a shinobi of Konoha and like every other soldier, he had to fight for his country.

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Two days later Sakura was walking out of Konoha.

She was dressed in black. Boots, pants and hoodie.

She had promised Ino to visit again after she mourned her loss and helped the people who suffered in Sakazaki. When she told everyone ehat happened, they were very supportive. Unexpectedly so. Shebelieved it had something to do with Konoha's past invasions. They knew what it was like.

Of course, she left out the details of her rampage. Only Tsunade knew and the woman, although very concerned, couldn't hold anything against her. Everything she did was in self-defense.

Just as she was about to pass the bench on which Sasuke had left her all those years ago, she stopped. His chakra was unmistakable, even more so as he didn't try to hide it.

Taking a deep breath, she continued on her way, knowing that she couldn't avoid him.

"What are you doing out of the hospital, Sasuke?"

She asked in a tone that she thought to be pretty steady. The dark haired male looked at her and then gestured her to sit next to him.

"I thought you'd leave without saying goodbye. Couldn't let you do that again." He said as he offered her some of his pie."

"You hate sweets, Sasuke."

"I used to. There's a difference." He said smiling a bit.

"Oh…"

"So, I heard from Naruto that you are going to help reconstruct that town."

"Among other things, yes. I have a lot of things I have to face."

"Will you be alright" He asked, not looking at her. When he saw that she wasn't answering, he turned to her.

"You know…out there, alone?"

"Yeah… I'll be fine." She said smiling a bit not believing that he was asking her such things.

They sat there for a while and then Sakura decided it was time to go.

"Listen, Sakura. I know that you have things to do and that it may be a while before we'll see each other again. I hope everything turns out alright for you."

"Thanks, Sasuke. I wish you the same." 

"And Sakura, it wasn't your fault, you know."

She turned around to see his face. He wasn't the same cold, irritated person from before. He seemed a little warmer, even though the shadows of his past still seemed to be looming over his shoulder.

"Thanks, Sasuke. You catch those bad guys, ok?"

Sakura smiled one last, content smile before walking out of her hometown and into the world to take on her new mission. In a way, she was glad she was leaving Konoha, for she didn't know if she could remain balanced there, but at the same time, she couldn't help but admit that she enjoyed the changes that occurred while she had been away.

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_**A/N: **_This is sort of the ending of part one. They all just kind of made peace with each other and with themselves. They grew up. In the next part, I will concentrate more on their relationships and on the life of a shinobi and their duty.

I hope you all liked this chapter. It's different from the others. Not so much rage. I want to think that the illness gave them a common goal and that the all realized that they should be there for each other.

Also, I must say I read a story that I like very much. It's made after an exceptional series called **Bones.** That is also the name of the story and it's written by _fox girl66_. Check it out.

Please review!

**Marie Blubert**


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